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"Because those four are the prettiest"

Jesse and I exchanged another look, but he seemed as confused as I was "What does that ht drain?"

Molly didn’t answer hiainst the wall "Molls?" I asked "We can’t help you if you don’t talk to us"

She turned, her eyes still ith shock "Help me?" she echoed

"Of course" I put a little force into the words "Listen toaround the city, Dashiell doesn’t knoho he can trust Jesse and I need to find whoever’s really behind this, or" I forcedto let you take the fall"

That didn’t have the effect I’d expected She just shrugged, looking completely unsurprised No, not just that, she lookeddetached Uncaring "Dashiell has always cared more about appearances than justice," she said in a wooden voice "Twelve ht? Of course he’s going to set me up" Her eyes cut back over to me "The irony is not lost on me, you know," she added I winced Molly had evicted erous messes, and now here she was in a mess of her very own "Not that it matters now"

"Of course it oing to have to do it

But she didn’t answer lanced over at Jesse, but he looked as puzzled as I felt I had thought learning that four of the girls ht become vampires wouldwell, maybe not cheer her up, but at least help ease soo catatonic

Jesse held up his wrist, showing otten nothing I gave hione bye-bye, Jesse," I said under ot left?"

Jesse touchedpast ht over Molly He squatted down in front of her, like an adult trying to speak to a kid on their own level "You gave Scarlett the key to your safety deposit box," he reminded her "You wanted us to help You wanted to live What’s changed?"

Molly just shook her head, like o away Her expression was sort of strangled I couldn’t say I was surprised My for a blanket of happy energy and wrapping it around herself like a shield She was always delighted to invite you into her blanket fort, but good luck prying her out of there It was one of the reasons we’d gotten along so well--neither of us was skilled at e reruns of Friends, but not so good when you were keeping secrets that could save your life

Two minutes that we didn’t have ticked by on my watch, and then Molly finally planted her shoulder blades on the wall and inched upward until she was standing with her chin raised, looking past Jesse to th "Find those girls Find theet them to Dashiell That’s all that ed a look "Luckily," he said to her, "the best way to find those girls is to figure out who did this to you"

Molly looked at hi molanced atto my jacket pocket I pulled out the photos and the little address book, handing them over Jesse showed them to her "Who are these woently, as though they h the photos, looking at each one I was impatient, but Jesse covertly held up his hand where only I could see it

Finally, Molly handed the pictures back to me, her eyes neary "They’re"It was 1973, and the Polaroid SX-70 had just beco around with it"

"Then why did you keep the pictures in a safety deposit box for forty-odd years?" Jesse asked

"They’re vampires, aren’t they?" I said, before she could answer "That’s why the photos were in the box They’re technically proof that you all exist"